GO WILD: 4 places that prove Malaysia rocks

It’s close, diverse and loads of fun, you should be booking your next holiday RIGHT NOW!

There is incredible diversity in Malaysia from the Colonial-era architecture of Penang to the dense jungles of Sabah and Borneo, to the soaring Petronas Towers of Kuala Lumpur that were once the tallest buildings in the world. This is a country that seems to get overlooked by Australians for destinations like Bali, Thailand or Singapore but that’s crazy.

You’ve got amazing island beaches like Langkawi (bye bye, Bali), incredible natural beauty (Ta-ta Thailand) and some of the best food in south-east Asia (see ya, Singapore). You can visit orang-utans in the wild in east Malaysia or brave searing hot plate of mee goreng in a KL street stall.

Here are four reasons to think Malaysia for your next trip:

Kuala Lumpur

There’s a saying amongst expats in the south-east Asian region: short termers live in Singapore but if you are in for the long-haul you move to Kuala Lumpur. Why? KL as a city is more vibrant, more fun, and less uptight than its near neighbour.

The food here rivals anything in Singapore from the fiery fish head curries to the tangier Malaysian take on laksa; and as for the chicken curries they have a flavour so deep you will need a ladder to climb back out.

KL has killer shopping, too with all the major brands and some incredible local markets.

Langkawi

Get your beach holiday on with a trip to the island of Langkawi. Here you can visit sand-between-your-toes cafes right on the beach, swim in the calm waters and then head back to your world-class resort bungalow for dinner cooked by a private chef.

The wild interior of the island offers attractions like Temurun Waterfall, the

highest waterfall on the island at 30 metres. Here the water tumbles down into chilly pool popular with local boys who leap from the waterfall face. Or take the popular cable car over the dense foliage to get a feeling for the scope of the natural forest.

Penang

History is the draw in Penang, a potent mix of European and Asian architecture, culture and cooking. This is the home on nonya cuisine a fusion of the best of Asian cuisine with touches of European due to the mixed marriages of the region. Penang feels like old-school Asia from the historic shopfronts to the trishaws plying the busy streets.

Sabah

The region of Sabah is small but its mountain peaks soar towards the sky. It has islands fringed with coral reefs, thick forest filled with wildlife of all kinds including gibbons, leopards and crocodiles. The city of Kota Kinabalu, or KK, sees mega-malls sitting next to mosques and is a great base from which to explore.

Book your clients 4 nights from $269* per person twin share. Valid for selected travel to 31 March 2019. Agents can also earn Trip Dollar$ on these packages. For more information visit Viva! Holidays and check out the Malaysian deals.